2nd Edition
Engineering with Polymers, 2nd Edition
Plastics and rubber materials, or polymers, are increasingly the first choice of engineers when reliable, cost-effective performance and safety are essential. The volume of polymers used in the Western economy now exceeds that of metals, which requires today's engineering students to have a thorough grounding in the properties and applications of polymeric materials.
The first chapters of Engineering with Polymers explain what polymers are, how they behave, and how articles are made from them. The authors then show how the standard engineering techniques of stress analysis, structures, fluid mechanics, heat transfer and design can be adopted or adapted to cover plastics and rubber materials. The book ends with chapters detailing interactions between processing and properties, and a description of a variety of approaches to designing plastics products, from practical advice to the use or further development of theoretical principles, backed up by examples and case studies.
The book is aimed at mechanical engineering students and design engineers in industry and also at materials' and chemical engineers.
Engineering with Polymers
Predicting Performance
Functionality of Products
Concluding Remarks
ASPECTS OF POLYMER PHYSICS
Introduction
Linear and Network Polymers
Names of Polymers
Thermoplastics
Microstructure
Molecular Mobility
Crosslinked Plastics
Crosslinked Rubber Polymers
Molecular Orientation
Some Broad Generalizations
Problems
Further Reading
PLASTICS AND RUBBER COMPONENTS AND COMPOUNDS
Introduction
Polymers as a Class of Materials
Detailed Properties of Polymers
The Need for Compounds
Problems
Further Reading
IMPORTANT POLYMER PROCESSING METHODS
The Main Concepts
Batch Mixing Processes
Extrusion Processes
Moulding Processes
Contact Moulding Techniques
Continuous Fibre Techniques
Problems
Further Reading
STIFFNESS OF POLYMER PRODUCTS
Stiffness of Plastics: Elementary Concepts
Problems
Stiffness of Plastics: A More General Approach
Problems
Stiffness of Vulcanized Rubber
Problems
Further Reading
STRENGTH OF POLYMER PRODUCTS
Introduction
The Traditional Approach
Problems
The Fracture Mechanics Approach
Problems
Further Reading
FIBRE-POLYMER COMPOSITES
Introduction
Problems
Micromechanics
Problems
Macromechanics of Laminates
Problems
Stiffness of Laminates
Problems
Strength of Wide Laminates
Problems
Further Reading
FLUID FLOW AND HEAT TRANSFER IN MELT PROCESSING
Introduction
Undirectional Isothermal Newtonian Flow
Problems
Shear Velocity of Polymer Melts
Problems
Undirectional Power-Law Flows
Problems
Mixing and Blending of Polymer Melts
Tensile Viscosity
Problems
Elasticity of Polymer Melts
Problems
Heat Transfer in Polymer Processing
Problems
Further Reading
SOME INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PROCESSING AND PROPERTIES
Introduction
Thermal Effects
Problems
Flow Effects
Problems
Some Combined Pressure, Flow and Thermal Effects
Problems
Effect of Change in Processing Conditions
Preferred Shapes
Further Reading
PRODUCT DESIGN
Introduction
Specific Plastics Elements
Problems
Designing for Stiffness
Problems
Prestressed Elements
Problems
Tailor-Made Elements
Problems
Computer-Aided Engineering with Polymers
Further Reading
OUTLINE ANSWERS
INDEX
Biography
P. C. Powell
